Milk-can.



1, W. F0WLER, DECD. II. E. FOWLEII. ADMINISTRATOR.

MILK CAN.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24,1916.

L222,2?9 Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

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25 Q 20 o l" TTF@ STATT@ A PATENT JGIIN WILLIS FOWLER, 0F IIENNIKER, NEW HAMPSHIRE; HERBERT E. FQ'WLER ADMINISTRATOR OF SAID JOHN WILLIS FOWIJER, DECEASED.

MILK-CAN'.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 19', 1911*?.

To all 'w/zom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN Tinus FowLnR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Henniker, in the county of Merrimack and State of New Hampshire, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Milk-Cans, of which the following, together with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

The object of my present invention is to provide a cheap and eflicient means of closing cans in which milk is usually shipped, and sufficiently durable to withstand the roughusage incident to transportation.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown so much of a milk can as is necessary to illustrate the nature of my present invention, and in which* Figure 1 is a side elevation of the upper portion of a milk can provided with my improved closing device, and

Fig. 2 is a central sectional view of the same on the plane of the broken line 2 2, Fi 1.

imilar reference characters refer to similar parts in both figures.

In carrying my invention into practice, I

construct the body 1 of the can of sheet metal in the usual manner and of any size desired, and provided at the top with a narrow flange 2 to which I attach a metal neck 3, preferably of malleable iron, and

suitably attached to the flange 2 by rivets 4t. The neck 3 is recessed at 5 upon its outer surface to receive the flange 2 flush with the outer surface of the neck. The joint between the neck 3 and the flange 2 may be closed at its lower edge, if desired, by means of solder 6. The upper end of the neck 3 is provided with an interior annular rib 7 extending upwardly, and an exterior annular rib 8 er;w tending some distance above the rib 7. The rib 7 is turned or ground to a smooth surface lying in a uniform plane to form a seat for a cover 9, which is provided on its under surface with an annular rib 10 which is also ground to a smooth and uniform plane adapted to contact with the rib 7.

'Ihe metal neck 3 is preferably recessed on diametrically opposite sides 11 to receive the ears 12 which are attached at their upper ends by rivets 13 and at their lower ends by rivets 14, the latter rivets 14 passing preferably through the Bange 2. Ihe ears 12 are raised to form a boss 15 to provide a space 16 between the boss 15 and the outer surface of the neck 3. The bosses 15 are each provided with a central hole 17 to receive the ends of a wire 18 which is extended around the can R'to form a lever handle 19. Near the ends of the wire 18 it is coiled, as shown at 20, 20, in order to form an eye 21 to receive the ends of an elastic wire bail 22, capable of swinging in the eyes 21 over the top of the vcover 9 into engagement with the top of a triangular rib 23 extending upwardly from the top of the cover. By raising the lever handle 19, the eye 21 will be swung from the position shown in Fig. 1 toward the left, thereby decreasing the distance between the eye 21 and the top of the rib 23. This movement of the handle 19 loosens the bail 22 so it may be swung over the edge of the cover 9 against the side of the can, thereby allowing the cover to be removed. By replacing the cover and again swinging the bail over the top of the rib 23, the handle 19 is depressed, bringing the eye 21 into its normal position, as shown in Fig. 1, and thereby increasing the distance between the eye and the top of the rib 23, which serves to draw the bail 22 tightly over the rib and hold the cover closely upon the neck of the can. The arrangement of the bail 22 and lever handle 19 with its eyes 21 form no part of my presentinvention, however, the same device being now in common use for holding the covers upon fruit jars and similar receptacles.

The lever handle 19 is, however, provided at its center with a loop 211 which, when the handle 19 is depressed in the position shown in Fig. 1, embraces a staple 25 attached to the side of the can, allowing the hasp of a padlock 26 to be inserted through the staple for the purpose of locking the handle 19 in its depressed position, thereby securely afiixing the cover 9 in position. 'Ihe cover 9 is extended beyond the rib 10 over the top of the rib 8 and is provided at its outer edge with a depending lip 27 to guard against the access of dirt or other extraneous matter into the space above the rib 8. A free space is provided between the neck 3 and the cover 9, except at the contacting surfaces of the ribs 7 and 10, thereby avoiding the necessity of finishing the opposing surfaces of the cover and neck except upon the ribs 7 and l0. The space 28 between the cover and the rib 8 may also be utilized to receive a gasket or suitable packing, if desired, to hermetically seal the can.

I claim:

l. The combination with a sheet metal body, of a cast metal neck attached at its lower edge to the metal body and having its upper edge increased in thickness and provided With an interior annular rib extending upwardly, and an outer rib spaced from said interior rib but having its face at a higher elevation than said interior rib, and a cover having a 'rib on its lower surface resting on said interior rib and extending over said outer rib, with a depending lip on its outer edge.

2. The combination with a sheet metal body, of a cast metal neck attached at its JOHN WILLIS FOI/VLEK.

Witnesses:

HERBERT E. Fou/LER, WM. O. FoLsoM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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